Tethered 02 - Conjure (28 page)

Dinner was burnt. Not all of it, just the meat. We were able to salvage a little off the top. This was fine by me, because I wasn’t much of a meat lover when it came to tacos anyway. I enjoyed all the toppings best—the cheese, sour cream, black olives, tomatoes, lettuce, and guacamole. Kace had made some
queso
dip as well.

“You know what would go better with this meal?” I asked as I twisted the top off my third Corona and came back around the bar to the dining room table.

Kace licked a drop of cheese dip off his bottom lip. “What’s that?”

“Margaritas…extra-large margaritas with lots of salt,” I said. “Not Coronas.”

“What is your deal with dogging Coronas?” he asked with a chuckle. “You don’t like them?”

I swallowed my sip and smiled. “No, I like them… I’m just saying, next time let’s have margaritas.”

“Oh, so you plan on having tacos with me again sometime, do you?” He smirked and then popped another chip coated with dip in his mouth.

I nodded and sank down in my chair. “Yes, I do,” I said, meeting his gaze dead-on.

His lips twisted into a boyish smile, one that deepened the dimple I loved so much, and he leaned in to kiss me chastely. “You mean it?”

“Yup,” I said between soft kisses.

“That’s not the alcohol talking or the…” He paused to run his fingertips along my arm. “Magick speaking for you?”

I set my beer down on the table in front of me and cupped his face with my hands. “Not in the least,” I said, gazing into his icy blue eyes.

“All right.” He grinned like a fool and then leaned in to kiss me again.

The front door burst open and in stormed Adam with Callie in toe behind him. “Hey, you two lovebirds. Had enough time to do your thing yet?”

“Oh my God, Adam!” Callie shouted, obviously embarrassed by his rashness.

“Well, hello to you too,” Kace muttered, pulling himself away from me and sitting up a little straighter in his chair. “And as a matter of fact, we have. It was good too.” He turned back to me and grinned with a sexy glimmer flaring in the depths of his eyes.

I smacked him in the chest and scoffed at his words. “Wow, really? Guess you’re the type to kiss and tell, huh?”

Kace shrugged, but his grin never left his face. “What, was good not the word you wanted me to use? How about spectacular…mind-blowing…wonderful.”

My cheeks flamed and I buried my head in my hands. “Oh my God.”

“I always go with
hotter than hell
… That’s always a good one,” Adam said, and I heard him make his way across the apartment.

“Adam!” Callie scolded him again. She came and sat down in the chair beside me. “They’re horrible. So flipping embarrassing, I swear.”

I glanced at her. Her face was as red as mine felt. “I know!”

Adam opened the fridge and bent down. He came back up with two Coronas in hand and a shit-eating grin spread across his face. “Chill, ladies, we’re just messing with you.”

“What’s on the agenda for the night?” Kace asked Adam.

I took note of the subject change and couldn’t have been happier.

“Besides hotter than hell sex…” Adam cast a pointed glance at Callie, and I swore I’d never seen a person’s face become as red as hers was in the moment. “I don’t know. I heard there’s a party at Craven tonight, in one of the off-campus apartments.”

“Sounds fun,” Kace said. “You ladies wanna go?”

I glanced at Callie. “It’s up to you.”

“I’m game!” She grinned, her big blue eyes widening with excitement.

“Awesome,” Adam said. “Let me finish this real quick and then we can all load up in my Jeep and I’ll drive, because it looks like playboy here is either drunk off one too many Coronas or else your touch,” he said to me.

I glanced at Kace and realized for the first time just how much alcohol he’d already consumed. I was on my third beer, but he had to have been on at least number seven or eight. For someone who claimed they had a one and done rule like me, he sure could pound them back when he wanted to.

“I’m not drunk, but I will admit I’m in no shape to drive,” Kace said before taking another sip.

I smiled, grateful he was the type who knew when to admit it. Some guys would argue they were all right and could handle it. I hated those guys. Didn’t they realize how arguing with you only made them seem even more toasted than they probably really were?

The drive to Craven wasn’t a long one. It took maybe thirty minutes or so to get there. I glanced only once at the school, not wanting to stare too hard because I was positive it would kill the buzz I had going. Craven didn’t look anything like what I’d expected it to—in fact, it resembled a red brick White House or something. It was an all-brick building with black shutters and large white columns in the front holding up its massive porch. I glanced away and out the other window. College was nothing I wanted to be thinking about right now. Not even the gorgeous campus layout.

Kace glanced at me from where he sat in the back of Adam’s Jeep beside me. His warm hand came down on my thigh. Moving his fingers ever so slightly, he slipped the tips of them up under the hem of my skirt to rest higher up on my thigh. Shivers of warmth slid through me.

“So, are you checking the school out for any particular reason?” he asked in a low tone as he leaned in closer to me.

I glanced out my window and then brought my eyes back to meet his. “Not really.”

“It’s a decent school with decent teachers,” he said.

I nodded and left the conversation at that. There was no way I wanted to talk about anything heavy tonight. Kace shifted away, obviously being perceptive enough in his current state to know I didn’t want to discuss the topic further.

“I’m pretty sure the place at the end is the one,” Adam said after he turned right onto another street I couldn’t see the name of.

I leaned toward the center of the Jeep, so I could get a better view of where we were going. The parking lot in front of the complex at the end of the street was packed with cars and littered with people walking all around.

“How did you figure that one out?” I asked Adam with heaps of sarcasm dripping from my voice. “Could it have been the cars and people? Geez, you’re the type who still needs books to have pictures in order to read them, aren’t you?”

Callie busted out laughing and it was contagious.

“Nice one,” Kace said with a chuckle as he squeezed my thigh.

“Pictures make any book more interesting,” Adam said as he glanced around, looking for a place to park. “Besides, I’m a visual person.”

I rolled my eyes and grinned. “Sure you are… That’s why you just passed the only available parking spot back there.”

Adam slammed on the breaks. “Damn it, are you kidding?”

“Nope, there’s one on the left,” Kace said.

“Shit.” Adam grimaced as he put the Jeep in reverse.

Callie turned around in her seat to face me. “Have I told you yet that I really like you?”

I laughed. “Thanks, I like you too.”

Adam backed into the spot I’d pointed out and cut the engine. He sifted in his seat to glare at me.

“You were able to spot the parking spot, but I bet you couldn’t do that,” he insisted with a sense of smugness about him.

“Do what, park?” I asked.

“No. Back into a parking space this narrow.”

I raised my eyebrows to my hairline. “Wow, you’re really a piece of work. Of course I could have done that.”

Adam grinned wickedly as disbelief twinkled in his bright green eyes. “Sure you could,” he said as he opened his door and stepped out.

In my head, I was repeating that I could with more vigor, but aloud I remained silent. There was no point in arguing about whether or not I could back up into a parking space. I knew I could, enough said.

Music blared from someplace, but it seemed to have an offbeat sound to it. I couldn’t understand why until we walked a little closer to the complex. There were multiple parties going on in different apartments, each with their own music of choice blaring.

“This is better than bar hopping!” Adam shouted over the music as he laced his fingers through Callie’s and pulled her a bit closer.

“Aren’t you the D.D. tonight?” Callie asked him.

“I’m just going to have a few, but I’ll space them out. Promise,” Adam answered.

I noticed Callie flash him a look that said she didn’t believe him.

“I promise, babe. Seriously. I’ll stop at four,” Adam said.

A guy holding the longest bong I’d ever seen stumbled past us and into the first apartment to the right. The stench of marijuana floated along with him and I crinkled my nose at the smell.

“Holy shit! Did you see that?” Adam asked Kace. “I’ve gotta see that thing in action.”

Callie placed a hand against Adam’s chest. “Give me your keys.”

“I’m not going to take a hit; I just want to see it in action,” Adam protested.

“Keys, Adam,” Callie repeated.

Kace wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. “Aren’t they like an old married couple?”

I laughed and nodded. “It’s cute.”

Adam handed over his keys after Callie insisted once more and then we all finally made our way into the apartment on the right, the one the stoner had disappeared into.

Loud reggae music blared from someplace within the apartment. The beat reminded me of something you’d hear at Gull’s, the beachside shack Kace and the others had taken me to after surfing. It was melodious and cast a calm vibe over the entire party. The guy we’d seen with the bong that had excited Adam sat on a blow-up chair in the corner with it on the floor between his knees. He looked like he was breaking up some pot on a CD case balanced on his knee.

“Wanna find something to drink?” Kace asked, his lips brushing against my ear he was so close.

“Sure,” I said over the music.

Threading his fingers through mine, we weaved through the crowd of people, some standing and some sitting on beanbag chairs, until we reached the kitchen. The counter was littered with red plastic cups and cigarette ashes. A few empty bottles of rum sat in the sink.

“Damn, looks like we’re late to the party,” Adam said from behind me.

Kace opened the fridge and with minimal searching managed to find three Miller Lights tucked in the back.

“Do you want one of these?” Kace asked as he scooped one up and held it out to me.

“No, I’m not a Miller Light fan.” I shook my head. “I’d rather have a Budweiser or something.”

“Okay, we’ll see what else we can find then.” Kace put the Miller back in the fridge and closed it.

“I’ll drink it,” Adam said.

“Hey, Kace,” said some girl dressed in skintight jeans and high heels with a wiggle of her fingers and a flirtatious smile.

I didn’t know her, but I already knew with one glance I wouldn’t like her even if I tried.

“Hey, Samantha,” Kace replied.

My stomach twisted a tiny bit. All sorts of insanely jealous thoughts crept into my mind. I didn’t know why, but I’d forgotten Kace lived in Soul Harbor, he went to school at Craven, and more than likely had dated some of the girls here tonight. Hell, he might even be friends with some of them.

The sharp scent of marijuana met my nose, and I realized the guy beside me was lighting up a joint. I watched the cherry deepen in color as the brown-haired guy sucked on the other end to get it going good. He exhaled a large cloud of smoke toward the ceiling and then met my stare dead-on.